Spring stabilizer



Oct. 3, 1939. R J, TAUB 2,175,005

SPRING STABILI ZER Filed Aug. 27, 1937 INVENTOR HW/Q//J/f f 72u05 ATTORN EY Patented Get. 3, 1939 UNETE STATS PATENT OFFICE Application August 27,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in spring stabilizers.

Its object is to provide a simple and inexpensive device for the purpose of reinforcing the edges of spring-assemblies, of which the resilient elements are coil springs, and to resist lateral movement of such assemblies in two directions. Such assemblies as are referred to are in common use as bed springs, and as furniture and automobile seats, for example. In such devices it is common practice to provide a more or less rigid lower frame upon which the spiral springs are mounted, such frame having side rails which are immovable in relation to the bed-stead, chair, car or other structure which supports it. The upper ends of the spiral springs are interconnected in various ways and the outer edges of the outer rows of springs are interconnected by rods or bars which are capable of limited movement under the control of the springs.

Spiral springs are capable of tipping and so it is desirable to provide something to prevent this inherent tendency. Many devices for this purpose have been suggested and some have been used, but all of them have had objectionable features which it is the object of this invention to overcome.

More specifically, the object of this invention is to provide a stabilizer constructed of spring metal of at cross-section which resists lateral relative movement between its ends, with a single curved portion providing a desired relative vertical movement between its ends and with intermediate portions so shaped and arranged as to prevent inward and outward movement of the upper end during its vertical movement.

Another object is to so construct the stabilizer that it may b-e readily applied to spring assemblies of standard constructions.

These and other objects of my invention will appear in the following specification in which I will describe a preferred form of my stabilizer, the novel features of which will be set forth in appended claims.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. l is an end elevation of a spring stabilizer which is made according to and embodies my invention, together with one of the lower side rails and the corresponding upper bar of a spring assembly. The parts are shown in full lines in one position and in broken lines in another position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View of a part of the stabi- Ylizer shown in Fig. l, the section being taken on the line 2 2 of the latter figure;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of some of the parts shown in Fig. l, illustrating a modified structure.

i0 designates a side rail of the lower frame of a spring assembly, such as a bed spring. This is 1937, Serial N0'. 161,192

usually one of four members which are rigidly interconnected to form a rectangular structure which is adapted to rest on a bedstead. According to a common practice, these rails are made of angle irons. 'Ihis rectangular structure is a part of the frame upon which a plurality of spiral springs (one of which is shown in, Fig. l) are sup ported. l l is the corresponding upper bar of the spring assembly, that is, the one above and parallel with the rail I0.

There are four of these upper bars around the outer edges of the outer rows of springs, but it is only necessary to show one of them for the purpose of clearly explaining my invention.

generally designates the stabilizer. 'Illis comprises an upper end 2l which is affixed to the bar l i at l2. 22 is a part which I call the drop, which, as will be pointed out, performs an important function. It depends from the end 2l at a substantially right angle. At the lower end of the drop the iiat metal of which the stabilizer is constructed, is bent inwardly at less than a right angle and extends in a substantially straight line to the lower end of an open loop or bend 24 to form a leaf spring portion 23.

The bend 24 extends upwardly, outwardly and downwardly to the upper end of a shank 25 which is directed obliquely toward the inner edge of the rail I0. The metal at the lower end of shank 25 is then bent downwardly to form a lower end 26 which is aflixed to the rail I0 at I3 by rivets or by any other suitable means.

The purpose of the drop 22 is to lower the outer end of the spring portion 23 in relation to the loop 24 so that the leaf portion 23 will be nearer the horizontal than will be shank 25, and to bring the top of the loop below the upper plane of the spring assembly. It is not necessary to have a sharp bend at the lower end of the drop, as is shown in Fig. l.

By referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the flat metal is offset laterally to provide a clearance at 2l' between the leaf spring portion 23 and the shank 25. It is also desirable to provide a reverse offset near the ends 2l and 26, as shown, to bring them into vertical alinement. This refinement, however, is not essential.

The shank 25 is preferably stiifened by having longitudinal ribs 28 pressed therein (see Fig. 2). In Fig. 4 another way of stiffening the shank is shown. In this case a brace 30 is affixed to the rail lll and to the upper part of shank 25 at 3|.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the stabilizer acts with the spiral springs to hold the bar Il above the rail I0. As many of these devices as desired may be spaced along the bars and rod and at the corners where they are joined, and these serve to reinforce the springs along the edges of the spring assembly when such reinforcement is most needed.

Another function the stabilizer performs is, because of the flatness of the metal of which it is formed, it resists longitudinal movement of the bar I I relative to the rail IU. When additional weight is applied to the bar I I to depress it to its broken line position IIA (Fig. 1), its movement will be in a straight vertical line A, A. This is due to the cooperative effect of the drop 22 which lowers the connection of the leaf spring portion 23 with the bar II, and the stiffening of the shank 25 which in effect raises the connection between the rail I l) and the resilient loop 24. Consequently, the loop 24 will move inwardly, as indicated by the arrow B (Fig. l) during the downwardly movement of the bar SI. The length, obliqueness and resiliency of the leaf spring portion 23 of the stabilizer are so proportioned that it will assume a more nearly horizontal position when depressed, to compensate for the inward movement of the loop 24.

It is to be noted that as the inner end of spring portion 23 merges into the lower part of loop 24 the downward movement of the bar Il tends to open the loop 24 rather than to squeeze it more tightly together. This novel feature is important, as the movement of the spring does not bring adjacent parts of the device into contact with each other.

n regard to its simplicity, one of the great advantages of this device is that it is absolutely noiseless. This is because there are no relatively movable abutting parts.

I realize that the principles involved in this invention may be embodied in devices of modied form and intent no limitations other than those imposed by the following claims.

What I claim is:

l. A spring stabilizer constructed of resilient metal having a lower end adapted to be permanently aflixed to alcwer member of a spring assembly, a comparatively stili' shank extending upwardly and inwardly therefrom, an upper end adapted to be permanently alnxed to an upper member of said assembly out of vertical alinement with the lower member of the assembly, a spring portion of greater resiliency than that of the shank extending downwardly and inwardly from said upper end, and a single loop intermediate said shank and spring portion, below the upper member of the assembly offset laterally to provide clearance between the shank and the `spring portion, the inner end of the spring portion merging into the lower end of the loop.

2. A spring stabilizer constructed of flat resilient metal having a lower end adapted to be permanently affixed to a-low-er member of a spring assembly, a shank extending upwardly and inwardly therefrom, means for stiifening the shank, an upper end adapted to be permanently affixed to an upper member of said assembly out of vertical alinement with the lower member of the assembly, a leaf spring portion, below the upper member of the assembly extending downwardly and inwardly from said upper end, and a single loop intermediate said shank and spring portion offset laterally to provide clearance between. the shank and the spring portion, the inner end of the spring portion merging into the lower end of the loop.

3. A spring stabilizer constructed of flat resilient metal having a lower end adapted to be permanently affixed to a lower member of a spring assembly, a shank extending upwardly and inwardly therefrom, means for stiffening the shank, an upper end adapted to be permanently aixed to an upper member of said assembly out of vertical alinement with the lower member of the assembly, a leaf spring portion extending downwardly and inwardly from said upper end, with its inclination from the vertical greater than that of the shank, and a single loop intermediate said shank and spring portion, below the upper member of the assembly offset laterally to provide clearance between the shank and the spring portion, the inner end of the spring portion merging into the lower end of the loop.

4. A spring stabilizer constructed of flat resilient metal having a lower end adapted to be permanently amxed to a lower member of a spring assembly, a shank extending upwardly and inwardly therefrom, an upper end adapted to be permanently affixed to an upper member of said assembly, a leaf spring portion extending downwardly and inwardly from said upper end, a loop intermediate said shank and spring portion offset laterally to provide clearance between the shank and the spring portion, the inner end of the spring portion merging into the lower end of the loop, and reverse offsets beyond the loop to bring the ends into parallelism.

5. A spring stabilizer constructed of flat resils ient metal having a lower end adapted to loe permanently aiixed to a lower member of a spring assembly, a shank extending upwardly and inwardly therefrom, an upper end adapted to be permanently affixed to an upper member of said assembly, a vertical drop from said upper end, a leaf spring portion extending downwardly and inwardly from the lower end of the drop with its inclination greater than that of the shank, a loop intermediate said shank and spring portion offset laterally to provide clearance between the shank and the spring portion, and reverse offsets beyond the loop to bring the ends into alinement.

6. A spring stabilizer constructed of flat resilient metal having a lower end adapted to be permanently aixed to a lower member of a spring assembly, a shank extending upwardly and inwardly therefrom, means for stiffening the shank, an upper end adapted to be permanently affixed to an upper member of said assembly, a vertical drop from said upper end, a leaf spring portion extending downwardly and inwardly from the lower end of the drop with its inclination greater than that of the shank, a loop intermediate said shank and spring portion offset laterally to provide clearance between the shank and the spring portion, and reverse offsets beyond the loop to bring the ends into parallelism.

'7. A spring stabilizer constructed of fiat resilient metal having a lower end adapted to be permanently aiiixed to a lower member of a spring assembly, a shank extending upwardly and inwardly therefrom, longitudinal ribs in said shank to decrease its resiliency, an upper end adapted to be permanently affixed to an upper member of said assembly, a vertical drop from said upper end, a leaf spring portion extending downwardly and inwardly from the lower end of the drop with its inclination greater than that of the shank, a loop intermediate said shank and spring portion offset laterally to provide clearance between the shank and the spring portion, and reverse offsets beyond the loop to bring the ends into alinement. 7o

RUDOLPH J. TAUB. 

